Tag Archives: allergy and asthma

What is Allergy Desensitization

You can have allergy shots regularly and it is generally given over the course of three to five years to reduce or stop allergy attacks. Allergy shots are an excellent form of treatment known as immunotherapy. Each shot has a small number of certain substances that trigger allergic reactions. These are known as allergens and they contain enough allergens that can stimulate your immune system, but it is not enough to cause an unbearable allergic reaction.

Even if allergen immunotherapy involves the typical administration of increasing allergen doses gradually over a certain period, immunotherapy can be given as injections or tablets.

In case you want to visit an allergy specialist doctor for allergy desensitization you can learn more about it here.

Oral Immunotherapy Treatment (OIT)

Desensitization treats peanut allergies, tree nut allergies, milk allergies, and other food allergies. The process will require patients to consume different allergen doses. Initially, food should be consumed under an allergist’s supervision. After this, patients must eat fixed amounts of the allergen until they reach a maintenance dose.

With the completion of OIT, individuals have to maintain the consumption of periodic doses of certain foods to ensure that there is ongoing desensitization. Normally, successful patients would have reduced the chances of allergic reactions. With the approval of an allergy doctor, it could even be possible to reintroduce it into your diet.

Risks

Most people do not experience a lot of trouble when they get allergy shots. However, they contain substances that cause allergies – so there can be possible reactions, which can include:

  • Systemic reactions – These are less common, but are more serious. You could develop sneezing, hives, or nasal congestion. Other severe reactions can include wheezing, throat swelling, or chest tightness.
  • Local reactions – This can involve redness, irritation, or swelling at the injection site. Normally, these common reactions start within a few hours after the injection and they clear up soon after that.
  • Anaphylaxis – Life-threatening reaction to allergy shots. It causes low blood pressure and trouble breathing. Most of the time, anaphylaxis starts within 30 minutes after injection, but they sometimes start at a later time.

If you will get allergy shots weekly or monthly, you are less likely to have a serious reaction.

When you take an antihistamine before an allergy shot, it reduces the risk of a reaction, mainly a local reaction. You should check with your doctor to find out if this is recommended.

Immunotherapy

It is similar to oral immunotherapy treatment, but with the use of allergy shots, seasonal allergies are less common and you will no longer be affected by indoor triggers or insect bites. Allergy shots can be used to treat pollen allergies, mold, dust mites, pet dander, and bee stings by giving small allergen doses via injection. When you administer incremental doses of the allergen, your immune system will become desensitized to its existence in your body.

Even if immunotherapy requires periodic visits to the allergy clinic, treatments will offer more benefits to patients. An individual can reduce their dependency on medication, and the immune system will get used to its presence in the system.

Where the Shots Should be Given

This kind of treatment must be supervised by a physician in a facility with the right staff and equipment to treat and identify adverse reactions to injections. The idea is that immunotherapy should be given at the allergy clinic. In case it is not possible, the allergist or immunologist should give the supervising physician clear instructions about the treatments of allergy shots.

You can check an allergy center Germantown MD if you need allergy desensitization.

 

 

Signs You Need an Allergist Vs. ENT

An allergist is a trained specialist to diagnose, treat, and prevent allergies. These allergists are the ones who can provide asthma care, immunotherapy treatments, allergy testing, holistic treatments, and related assistance.

ENTs treat medical issues in your nose, ear, and throat, together with the neck and head. A lot of these conditions might require surgical treatments, like corrections to bone or cartilage. An ENT will normally treat structural issues that need surgery – this will differ from an allergist who can diagnose allergens that are causing an allergic reaction.

You should not think that an allergist is an ENT, but there are instances such as sinus infections when they collide, for most of it, where those two positions specialize in different health niches. Read on to know more:

When to Visit an Allergy Clinic

In some cases, you could identify the allergen that may cause inflammation. For example, if you suffer from a food allergy, then you may feel an allergic reaction after eating that food. You could experience swelling in your skin rash and mouth. As a consequence of this, you can prevent a reaction by avoiding specific types of foods. However, on the other hand, you are unable to understand certain allergens such as dust allergies or other environmental issues like:

  • Runny nose
  • Shortness of breath
  • Itchy throat
  • Skin rash
  • Sinus infections
  • Eye-watering redness
  • Swollen lips and tongue

If you are experiencing these symptoms, then you need to go to an allergy clinic and not ENT doctor. However, there are a couple of symptoms that may need ENT treatment.

Signs You Need an ENT

You could be dealing with issues in your ears, nose, and throat. Even if the symptoms in these areas are intertwined with allergies, there is a difference between them. An ENT doctor is helpful in diagnosing and treating any conditions in your ear, nose, throat, neck, and head. You should see an ENT if you have any of the following:

  • Ear infections
  • Tonsil infection
  • Complications in hearing
  • Ear, nose, or throat pain
  • Issues with swallowing
  • Head and neck tumors or cancer
  • Deviated septum
  • Chronic sinusitis
  • Tinnitus
  • Cleft palate
  • Vertigo symptoms

If You Put it all Together

Allergists and ENT work together to maximize control of your sinus/nasal congestion and it is possible that you might need evaluation from specialists. Allergists will normally refer patients to ENTs when they need surgery and ENTs will refer patients to allergists when they need a formal allergy assessment.

Allergies are not the only reason why you experience nasal symptoms. So, if you have a structural problem or you suspect one, an ENT specialist is a good first choice. However, if you suspect that you are experiencing breathing or sinus issues related to asthma or allergies, consider seeing an allergist. They can help treat, diagnose, and control symptoms through non-surgical methods.

When you have allergies, many areas of your body can become affected. This includes your eyes, nose, throat, lungs, mouth, stomach, and even sinuses. For most people who experience allergic reactions, an allergist should be the first person they contact. An allergist is used to identify the causes of immune system response and allergic reaction and develop a solution that removes or reduces any threat to you.

Treat Your Allergic Reactions

If you suffer from ear, nose, and throat-related issues in certain seasons, then you could be suffering from allergy problems. That is why you might have to visit an allergist instead of an ENT. They will provide what you need.

You can visit an allergy clinic Manassas VA anytime if you think you need an allergist instead of an ENT.

Psychological Impact of Food Allergies

Food allergies could impact the patients’ emotions through direct and indirect mechanisms. The direct mechanisms can include central nervous system effects from the biological mediators released when you have an allergic food reaction. Indirect mechanisms can include the stress of living with food allergy like avoidance of food preparation and controlling the fear of potential consequences when you ingest the food.

You can go to an allergy specialist doctor and find out more about indirect effects that can also be mediated through family members, like the stress of the parent on the child. Since food allergy is increasing in children and adults, it has become difficult to study, and sometimes symptoms can be misinterpreted because food allergies are normally patients with psychological profiles.

Bullying

Aside from feeling anxiety, those with food allergies can go against bullying. One out of three children gets bullied for having food allergies. The rate is pretty high, and the research suggests that people are not always aware of this. A study has found that about half of parents and children who have food allergies do not know that their child experience school bullying. This can be shocking to parents.

Bullying also affects adults because of food allergies. It can range from eye-rolls, microaggressions, and derisive tone of voice.

Impact on the Parents

There can also be gender differences regarding how parents handle their child’s allergies. The responsibility for allergy management mainly falls on moms. There is mixed evidence if this material leads to marital strain or it can actually help greater family cohesion, but it affects the psychosocial well-being of moms can be heavier.  Moms might feel responsible when it comes to controlling triggers, with the need to carry the idea that they might have to face unexpected reactions.

Reactions from People

The major frustration of parents include not having enough public understanding, not wanting to accommodate, inconsistent information about treatment, and mislabeled products. Food allergy impacts the general public’s perception, and it can influence how food allergy is managed. For example, if a patient thinks that their friend’s belief in asking about the ingredients is unimportant, they might do the same. Sometimes, children may experience harassment and teasing due to food allergies, and some have reportedly smeared with the allergic food. Some adults say that their allergies have been disregarded by others, and they have faced a lack of understanding as well.

Building Connections

Getting help is not simple all the time. it can be difficult to find mental health professionals who can understand food allergies. It is important to teach individuals how they should support people who have food allergies and to show clinicians how anxiety issues can be spotted.

A counselor can help connect people with professionals who are sympathetic toward people with food allergies.

In other countries, getting support can be difficult. There are a couple of mental health resources mainly for people who have food allergies. People will mainly use resources that support the anaphylaxis campaign.

Daily Life with Food Allergy

Of course, my interest in this area comes from personal experience. Psychologists have observed the gap that goes on between empirical research and their experience as parents who have children with allergies. People will feel fortunate that there is already clinical training to hone the experience of researching more about the psychological effects of food allergy.

Friendships

Food allergies can impact social life, and part of this is being mediated by the confidence of allergy sufferers and them being taken seriously and carefully managed.

You can talk to an allergy clinic Germantown MD if you need to know more about the psychological effects of food allergy.

 

 

Why Fall Make Allergies Worse

Transitioning from summer to fall is the time when people go back to school, but for those who suffer from allergies, the seasonal switch could mean an unwelcome change in the symptoms. For people who feel the fall pollen impacts like mold and ragweed, you are not alone in this. Allergic rhinitis symptoms, including runny nose and congestion, can affect millions of people in the USA every year.

Some states make these effects more compounded because of weather patterns that switch between dry and wet periods, which trigger the allergens released into the air.

You can ask your allergy doctor about fall allergy treatments, but you need to know why allergies are worse during the fall. Read on to learn more.

Ragweed

In the fall, ragweed surges so it spews pollen into the air and it causes classic nasal allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, and scratchy throat. While you cannot completely avoid ragweed pollen, you can do steps to reduce exposure. You need to keep your windows and doors closed. Use refrigerated air conditioning, if possible, but not an evaporative cooler. The best thing to do is to wear a NIOSH-95 face mask so you will not inhale pollen when going outside. Your respiratory system will thank you for this.

Mold

Mold is another allergy trigger in the fall. Normally, fall weather comes with cooler weather and rain. Once the fall foliage starts to decay, it will attract mold growth. Breathing mold aggravates asthma, which causes wheezing, heavy breathing, and other upper respiratory symptoms in mold allergies. If you want to make the most out of the cooler weather and enjoy the outdoors more, you might have to wear a mask while being out in the woods.

Heat

You might want to bask in the summer days that extend in autumn, but the warm air can extend the pollen season and trigger allergy symptoms in the fall. You must not give up the last days of summer in order to avoid a runny nose. If you want to keep symptoms controlled, avoid the outdoors when pollen count normally peaks. You can enjoy the late summer sun at dusk. You can also try avoiding chores like raking leaves and mowing grass, both of which can stir up mold spores and pollen.

Dust Mites

Everyone can agree that fall weather is the most comfortable because days are a little cooler and you might also have to turn on the heat to feel cozy. This could be the first time in a few months that you turn on the heating. This blows a lot of dust mites inside your home, which trigger wheezes, sneezes, and runny noses. That is why you should change the filter before running the heating system.

Pets

You might have realized that pet dander triggers allergy symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose. However, did you realize that your pet can worsen fall allergies? Cats and dogs that play outside can collect ragweed pollen inside their fur and bring it inside your home. After you go inside, the pollen can disperse into the air easily and cause misery for those who suffer from fall allergies. If you want to avoid this, make sure to wipe your pet using a damp towel before you allow it back indoors after being outside.

Heat

The warm air that could extend to pollen season and trigger symptoms of fall allergies. You would want to stay indoors in those last days of summer to avoid the symptoms. Stay indoors in the morning because it is when pollen count normally peaks.

You can visit allergist Germantown MD if you have fall allergies.

Signs You are Allergic to Alcohol

Alcohol allergy causes a rare toxic reaction to alcohol which can be fatal in some cases. Most of the time, what people consider an alcohol allergy is actually intolerance.

People can have an allergic reaction to certain ingredients in alcoholic beverages instead of the alcohol itself.

Someone who is truly allergic to alcohol should entirely avoid it. People who are intolerant to alcohol can still consume alcohol, but they will most likely encounter side effects. The reaction can come from something in the alcoholic beverage like grains, chemicals, or preservatives.

Aside from consulting with an allergy specialist, you can read this article to know more about what causes alcohol allergies and then review the differences between intolerance and alcohol allergy.

Causes of Alcohol Allergy

People who are allergic to alcohol go through a reaction just by consuming 1 milliliter of pure alcohol or a gulp of beer or wine. It is still a mystery to researchers why some people experience it when the body naturally produces it. However, in other cases, severe alcohol reaction is sometimes mistaken for allergies when it is actually caused by Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Some foods that could cause alcohol allergy are:

  • Tomato puree
  • Food marinades
  • Cough syrup
  • Overripe fruit that fermented
  • Mouthwash

Doctors can diagnose the allergy based on how antibodies are produced. Antibodies called immunoglobin E (IgE) can cause an allergic reaction in the body with common symptoms of an allergic reaction. In addition, blood tests can measure the responses of the immune system to specific substances.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of intolerance to alcohol or having a reaction to the ingredients in an alcoholic beverage include:

  • Red and itchy bumps on the skin
  • Facial redness
  • Stuffy or runny nose
  • Pre-existing asthma worsens
  • Low blood pressure
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea and vomiting

Treatment

Like there are no real cures for food allergies or pollen, nothing can cure alcohol allergies as well. The truth is, that alcohol allergy treatment focuses mainly on any symptoms that are present like using a topical cream to alleviate rashes. After that, an individual should totally avoid drinking so they will not suffer allergic reaction symptoms and could also die.

Alcohol Allergy vs. Alcohol Intolerance

An alcohol allergy and intolerance are different from each other.

If you have an alcohol allergy, your immune system has an overreaction to alcohol. Intolerance to alcohol is genetic and the digestive system of an individual cannot break down the substance properly.

Alcohol intolerance symptoms make a person feel uncomfortable. In contrast to this, alcohol allergy can sometimes become life-threatening.

Symptoms of Alcohol Intolerance that People Confuse with Alcohol Allergies:

  • High blood pressure
  • Low blood pressure
  • Heart fluttering sensation
  • Lips or tongue swelling
  • Chest pain or fainting
  • Coughing
Who are More Prone?

People who come of Asian descent have a higher chance of experiencing alcohol intolerance symptoms because of a genetic variant that comes from rice domestication in southern China many centuries ago. An enzyme that is called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) turns ethanol into acetic acid in the liver. Those with Asian ancestry might have a less active variant of ALDH2, which makes it harder for them to digest alcohol properly. ALDH2 deficiency commonly causes alcohol intolerance.

Complications
  • Migraines – This is probably because of the histamines in alcoholic beverages. The immune system releases histamines when there is an allergic reaction.
  • Severe allergic reaction – On rare occasions, the allergic reaction can become life-threatening and might require emergency treatment. You should know all the symptoms so you will know if it is already severe or not.

You can contact allergy center Germantown MD anytime if you need to consult about your alcohol allergy.

 

Foods that Might Help with Allergy Symptoms

When talking about food allergies, you could think of avoiding certain foods to prevent any adverse reaction. However, the connection between seasonal allergies and food is linked to only a couple of food groups called cross-reactive foods. The reactions to cross-reactive foods can be felt by those who have ragweed, birch, or mugwort seasonal allergies.

Aside from the food groups, seasonal allergies are normally called allergic rhinitis or hay fever. They only happen during specific times of the year – normally during the summer or spring. They happen when the immune system has an overreaction to allergens, like plant pollen leading to sneezing, congestion, and itching.

Your allergy doctor would want you to eat these foods to help alleviate allergy symptoms:

Ginger

Ginger and its extracts are popular for their medicinal effects, which include anti-nausea, anti-inflammation, and pain relief. Since it has anti-inflammatory properties, it can work against allergies too. based on a study, ginger suppresses the production of specific cytokines that causes the activation of the mast cell. Therefore, they lead to the prevention and alleviation of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Unfortunately, there are no human studies that prove ginger can help with allergy symptoms. However, it is a spice that you are probably aware of.

Fruits Packed with Vitamin C

You should blame the hives, itchiness, and other discomforts you could be feeling because of an allergic response to histamine. Vitamin C helps because it indirectly limits inflammatory cells from producing histamine. High vitamin C levels reduce histamine and help break it down faster after it has been released, providing relief to allergy symptoms.

Aside from the fighting power of histamine, foods with vitamin C can provide relief of allergy symptoms by reducing inflammation. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, which means it counteracts free radicals’ anti-inflammatory effects. Foods like oranges, apples, strawberries, and watermelons counteract the inflammatory allergic response.

Tomatoes

Technically, a tomato is a fruit and it is also rich in vitamin C. They also contain lycopene, which is another antioxidant compound that helps to decrease inflammation. Even if lycopene is also in other pink and red foods, 85% of dietary lycopene is found in tomato products, which include tomato juice, ketchup, and sauce. There is still emerging research on the connection of lycopene to allergies, but lycopene might help improve lung function after exercising when you have asthma.

Turmeric

Turmeric is also a popular anti-inflammatory powerhouse because of its active ingredient known as curcumin, which has been linked to the reduction of inflammation-driven diseases. In addition, it could help minimize the irritation and swelling that allergic rhinitis causes.

Even if the effect of turmeric on seasonal allergies has not extensively been studied, there are promising animal studies.

Turmeric can be in the form of pills, teas, or tinctures or it is eaten in foods. Regardless if you take turmeric pills or use it in cooking, you should be sure about choosing a product with black pepper or pair it with black pepper inside your recipe. Black pepper raises curcumin’s bioavailability by 2,000%.

Fatty Fish

You should put some sardines in your next pizza since fatty fish like mackerel or sardines keep allergy symptoms controlled. Omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood lowers inflammation in the body, which prevents swelling in the noses and throats when there is high pollen in the air.

Cold-Water Fish

An example of cold-water fish is salmon because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and it shows anti-inflammatory effects to help with allergy relief.

You can go to an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD anytime to get more tips about foods to eat.

How to Fight Summer Allergies

Summer is the season for having fun in the sun – the breezes, and cool beach water actually create humidity and warm conditions actually attract allergies.

For adults, summer allergies can become a nuisance at a minimum. For children, the summer allergy symptoms can be more disruptive and can exacerbate other medical complications. It has been discovered that allergies go hand-in-hand with other chronic illnesses like asthma, which can normally cause medical emergencies for children like asthma.

If you are curious to know how to fight allergies in the summer, you can find an allergy doctor. It would also be good if you are aware of what to do in order to prevent allergies during the summer. Read on to learn more:

Avoidance

You should keep your home allergen-free. Shut down the windows so the pollen stays out. You need to try staying indoors during the morning, and the pollen counts are high when it is windy. Remove your shoes and change clothes right away after you come indoors. Dust using a damp cloth and a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter every day. You must shower before bed so you can rinse off the pollen that you collect on your skin and hair throughout the day.

Allergy Shots

Immunotherapy or allergy shots is a further option for treatment when you have seasonal allergies. They work by injecting your body with small allergen doses over a couple of years to build allergen resistance.

If avoiding allergens and using medications are not helpful to your allergy symptoms, you must see an allergist to ask about different treatment options you can choose from.

Limit Your Exposure to Allergens

If you have pollen allergies, you can lessen pollen exposure by staying indoors when you can by using air conditioning aside from changing clothes and showering after going outside.

It would also be an excellent idea to monitor humidity levels using a hygrometer and ensure that humidity stays below 45%. You should pay attention to mold buildup inside your home and reduce any dampness when possible.

To keep track of allergy symptoms, you can look at ozone levels around your area and avoid any strenuous activities when there are high ozone smog levels.

Air Conditioning

Air conditioning – regardless if it is a central or window unit filters air so that allergens are unable to circulate. Even if you do not turn on the cool setting, make sure to run the fan. The air filter should be changed every 3 months at least, and you can consider one rated while having a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of at least 11, which removes allergens a lot better than filters with a lower rating.

Wash Your Eyes

You can buy high-quality air filters for your HVAC. They can be more expensive, but normally offer maximum protection of up to 3 months compared to the normal filters that you normally have to change monthly.

Exercise

Allergy sufferers have discovered that running on a treadmill have found out that doing so for 30 minutes at moderate speed can significantly relieve symptoms like sneezing and congestion. Researchers have suggested that the workouts will benefit you because they can help in controlling allergy inflammatory proteins; in addition, exercise opens up nasal passages which eases congestion. The study does not check whether outdoor workouts can help as well.

Modify Your Diet

If you are allergic to certain pollens, symptoms might get worse after you eat them. For instance, cherries and apples react with birch tree pollen, and cucumbers with ragweed.

You can also talk to an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD.

What You Need to Know About Peanut Allergy

It is not common these days to find that schools are declared nut-free. That means the staple in kids’ lunchboxes – peanut butter and jelly sandwich – is no longer recommended. The reason for this is that peanuts cause a life-threatening reaction in other people. Peanuts are among the food allergens that are commonly related to anaphylaxis, which is a sudden and potentially deadly condition that needs attention and treatment right away.

When you go to an allergist, they will tell you that peanut allergy might sound simple, but it is indeed life-threatening.

If you want to know more about the treatments for a peanut allergy, you should read this article until the end. Find out more now.

What is a Peanut Allergy?

When a person is allergic to peanuts, their bodies produce IgE antibodies that are specific to peanuts. In case the individual accidentally consumes peanuts, they get a reaction when they encounter antibodies. Then, the body releases inflammatory agents like cytokines, histamines, and chemokines, which lead to allergic reactions.

Some individuals that have a peanut allergy can experience severe symptoms if they consume even just a small amount of peanuts. In addition, some people who consume peanuts can die. Therefore, someone with a peanut allergy should know how they can manage their condition and treat the symptoms.

Tree Nut and Peanut Allergy

Peanuts are legumes that belong to the same family as the lentils and peas, which grow underground. Therefore, they are falling under another category compared to other tree nuts, like walnuts and almonds that grow on trees.

Anyone who has a tree nut or peanut allergy must consult an allergy doctor to see if they are allergic to peanuts as well.

Peanut Allergy Symptoms:

  • Wheezing
  • Hives
  • Tongue or lips swelling
  • Vomiting
  • Breathing difficulties or shortness of breath
  • Blue coloring of the skin or it becomes pale
  • Diarrhea
  • Indigestion
  • Repetitive cough
  • Stomach cramps
  • Hoarse voice or tightness in your throat
  • Dizziness
  • Weak pulse
  • Confusion

Treatment and Management

In order to manage a peanut allergy, an individual has to strictly avoid peanuts and any food that has them. In addition, people who have peanut allergies must avoid products that are contaminated through the process of production.

It is advised that a lot of individuals with a peanut allergy can safely consume foods containing highly refined oil, which has removed and purified the peanut protein in them. However, a lot of people should avoid cold-pressed and unrefined peanut oil because it causes an allergic reaction.

Those who are aged 4 to 17 can take a medication called Palforzia which was approved by the FDA in 2020. If the individual is 18 or older, they can continue taking the medication.

Palforzia is taken orally and it aims to reduce an allergic reaction, which includes anaphylaxis – if the person accidentally gets exposed to peanuts. A person should empty the powder into semisolid food, which they can eat like applesauce.

Reaction Treatment

If someone experiences a severe reaction like anaphylaxis, epinephrine is fine as the first line of treatment. Therefore, someone who has a peanut allergy should carry an injectable with them all the time.

In case they experience anaphylaxis, doctors can also use antihistamines, bronchodilators, and corticosteroids to manage an allergy reaction. However, they are no treatment for anaphylaxis.

The goal is to prevent a reaction in case someone accidentally eats peanuts or to induce tolerance so they can safely eat them. However, you should not try this on your own if you have a peanut allergy.

You should go to an allergy center Germantown MD right away if you experience peanut allergy symptoms.

 

What is Nonallergic Rhinitis

When you have allergic rhinitis, the inside of your nose is inflamed or swollen, which causes cold-like symptoms to lie blocked nose, itchiness, sneezing, and runny nose.

There is also nonallergic rhinitis that involves chronic sneezing, or you have a congested, drippy nose and you do not know what is causing it. The symptoms of nonallergic rhinitis are similar to people with hay fever, but with no typical evidence of an allergic reaction.

Nonallergic rhinitis affects adults and children, but it is more common after they are 20 years old. The nonallergic rhinitis trigger symptoms can vary and can include irritants or odors, medications, weather changes, some foods, and health conditions.

You can consult with an asthma doctor to have your symptoms checked.

How Does Nonallergic Rhinitis Happen?

Nonallergic rhinitis is caused by the inflammation of tissues inside the nose. It is also referred to as vasomotor rhinitis.

For a lot of people, nonallergic rhinitis is caused by certain triggers like some odors or medications. Some people may develop this condition because they have an underlying health problem/s.

The condition is not caused by being exposed to allergens. Nasal inflammation caused by allergens is the one caused by allergic rhinitis.

Symptoms

Rhinitis is caused by an allergy trigger like pollen, and it is a separate condition called allergic rhinitis. Nonallergic rhinitis symptoms include:

  • Runny nose
  • Blocked nose
  • Sneezing
  • Discomfort or mild irritation around and inside your nose
  • Sense of smell is reduced

Very rarely, nonallergic rhinitis may also cause a crust to develop inside the nose, which could:

  • Produce a foul odor
  • Can cause bleeding if you attempt to remove it

Risk Factors

Exposure irritant – If you become exposed to irritants like smog, tobacco smoke, or exhaust fumes, you might develop nonallergic rhinitis.

Above 20 years old – Allergic rhinitis normally occurs before you reach 20, but for most people, nonallergic rhinitis happens after the age of 20

Female – Due to changes in hormones, nasal congestion normally worsens during menstruation and pregnancy

Using decongestant nasal spray for a long time – When you use over-the-counter decongestant sprays or nasal drops for a couple of days, you can suffer from severe nasal congestion after the decongestant wears off, most of the time they will go through rebound congestion

Some health problems – Some chronic health conditions can make allergic rhinitis worse, like chronic fatigue, hypothyroidism, and diabetes

Exposure to occupational fumes – Nonallergic can also be triggered by airborne irritant exposure. Some triggers can include solvents, construction materials, or chemicals and fumes that come from organic material decomposition like compost.

Treatment

Nonallergic rhinitis is normally not harmful, but it is irritating and affects your quality of life. The treatment will depend mainly on the severity of the rhinitis and what causes it.

In other cases, avoiding certain triggers and doing self-care measures such as rinsing your nasal passages, can relieve your symptoms.

When you rinse your nasal passages, you can do it by using a homemade solution or a solution made using ingredient sachets that were bought from the pharmacy.

You might need to take medicine in some cases, as a nasal spray with steroids. The steroid nasal sprays can help relieve congestion, but you might have to use them for a few weeks so they can work properly.

Complications
  • Nasal polyps – Caused by chronic inflammation. These are benign growths that develop in the lining of your nose
  • Interrupted daily activities – You might be less productive or need some time off when your symptoms flare-up
  • Sinusitis

You can contact the allergy center Germantown MD if you want to have yourself checked in case you are experiencing symptoms.

 

 

Early Asthma Attack Warning Signs to Watch out for

When you have an asthma attack, you will feel your asthma symptoms suddenly worsening, and that is caused by muscle tightening of muscles on your airways. The tightening is known as bronchospasm and when you have an asthma attack, the lining of your airways become inflamed or swollen. You will start to produce thicker mucus and a lot more. These factors like inflammation, bronchospasm and mucus production can cause an asthma attack like wheezing, trouble breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, and challenge in performing daily activities.

Before you call up your asthma doctor, you should be well aware of those signs and what you can do to stop them from getting worse. Read on to find out more.

Warning Signs of an Asthma Attack

  • Breathing changes
  • Mucus changes (sputum)
  • Congested/runny/stuffy nose
  • Sneezing
  • Your throat is sore/itchy/scratchy
  • Itchy chin or beck
  • Watery/itchy eyes
  • Dark eye circles
  • You are always feeling tired, weak, or fatigued
  • Moody
  • Feverish
  • Restless
  • Dry mouth or hoarse voice
  • Not sleeping properly
  • Headache
  • Paleness
  • Anxious
  • Excitable
  • Chest pain
  • Symptoms worsen despite taking medications

Some asthma patients can go for long periods without experiencing an asthma attack or other symptoms as well. The interrupted worsening of symptoms because of asthma trigger exposure like exercise or cold air exposure are also signs.

It is generally more common to experience asthma attacks. Normally, it takes a few minutes to a couple of hours for the airways to open up after treatment. Severe asthma attacks are not as common, but they last longer and need medical help right away. Treating and recognizing mild symptoms early on is important because it will prevent you from having severe episodes.

Severe Asthma Emergency Symptoms

  • Worsening asthma
  • Worse shortness of breath
  • Your skin is sucked in around the neck or ribs
  • Experience trouble in walking or talking because of shortness of breath
  • Breathing becomes hard and fast
  • You cough a lot
  • Shoulders are hunched over
  • The asthma quick-relief and medicine are not helping at all
  • Your nostrils are wide open (could be rare if you are an adult)
  • Fingernails or lips are blue

What to Do During an Asthma Attack

If someone is experiencing a milk asthma attack, all they could need is an asthma medication, like a quick-acting inhaler. Some mild attacks may sometimes go away on their own.

It is essential that people who have asthma consult with their healthcare team about an action plan. This plan helps in guiding people on how their asthma can be treated, based on the symptoms they go through and what can be done.

A person would have to carry an inhaler and reliever with them, which can have asthma medication to relax their muscles in the airways. The medications can include rapid onset, short-acting, and anticholinergic bronchodilators.

The asthma attack can be dealt with by trying these first:

  • Sitting upright
  • Staying relaxed and calm
  • Using quick-acting medications, normally use a blue inhaler, and following an action plan for asthma
  • Call an emergency medical hotline if the symptoms worsen or if the medications are not helping

Your Asthma is Not Well-Controlled if:

  • You have asthma symptoms 2 times a week or more
  • You are taking quick-relief medications more than twice a month
  • You need to take corticosteroids more than twice a year
Asthma Symptoms Act up at Night

You will have nighttime asthma if it is uncontrolled and has something to do with your body rhythms and hormone changes. You can sleep through the night if your asthma is well-managed.

You can also go to an allergy specialist doctor Manassas VA for better asthma management.